Electrical connecter



Ami i3, i937 J. BERTSCH; of/6,6%

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed May 26, 1935 Patented pr. 13, 1937 PATENTOFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Jacob Bertschi, Chicago, Ill., assignor toUtah Radio Products Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisApplication May 26, 1933, Serial No. 672,948

5 Claims.

The invention relates generally to electrical connecters and moreparticularly to devices for establishing a connection between a radiovalve terminal and a lead thereto.

Certain types of present day radio valves embody a terminal, usually inthe form of a cylindrical cap, at the upper end of the valve. Inclusionof the valve in a circuit is, in part, through this terminal and in thepast various forms of connecters have been employed, all of which aresubject to the disadvantage of being incapable of engaging the cap withsuiicient force to maintain the connection under all conditions ofoperation. For example, in automobile receiving set installations Whereunusual conditions of vibration are present, there is a decided tendencyfor these connecters to work free 0f the cap.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved connecterwhich is capable of exerting a strong gripping force on the terminalample to maintain the connection under all conditions of operation.

Another object is to provide a novel connecter embodying a closed loopwhich is extensible along its length so that it may be forced over asomewhat larger cap.

More specically stated, another object resides in the provision of aconnecter formed of a strip of material which has been fashioned toproduce inherent longitudinal resiliency therein, said strip being bentupon and secured to itself short of one end to form a closed expansibleloop for engaging a terminal, and a part extending therefrom forconnection with a lead.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connecter of this naturewhich is capable of being cut or stamped from a sheet of metal and whichis so formed that very little waste material results, thereby effectinga substantial saving in the cost of production.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingdescription and fromv the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a valve showing a device embodying thefeatures of the invention assembled thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connecter on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device partially in section asindicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an extended view of a formed strip, the scale on which thisview is made being somewhat less than that of Figs. 2 and 3.

The invention is illustrated and will be described in the environment ofa connecter forv the screen grid terminal cap of a thermionic valve butit will be evident that the invention is capable of other uses withoutsubstantial modification.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the connecter generallycomprises a closed ring or loop l0 which is adapted to tit over theterminal cap ll of a valve l2 as shown in Fig. 1 and has an outwardlyextending part I3 through which 10 an electrical connection ispermanently made with a lead ld (Fig. 1). The loop Ill of the connecteris made somewhat smaller than the dimension of the cap over which theloop ts and the loop is so fashioned that, while it is permanentlyclosed, longitudinal extension thereoff is possible whereby the loop maybe forced over the cap into a substantially fixed engagement therewith.The material from whichthe connecter is formed may of itself bedisto-rtable sol that, when the connecter is forced onto the cap, thelongitudinal expansion occurs through distortion of the metal itself. Itis preferable, however, to form the connecter of a material'which isinherently resilient, thus introducing yielding resistance tolongitudinal distortion which results in the creation of a force tendingalways to contract the loop into a firm holding engagement with the cap.Y

A preferred formation of a strip by which the 30 desired longitudinalextensibility is obtained is best seen in Fig. 4. The device isfashioned from an elongated blank strip of suitable current con-iducting material such as thin gauge sheet steel, the overall dimensionsvof the blank strip being 35 only Aslightly largerk than the dimensionsof the formed strip shown in Fig. 4. Byv a die-cutting or similaroperation, a series of transversely extending recesses I5 are formed toextend substane tially but not entirely across the strip from oppositelongitudinal sides thereof and are disposed in alternate or staggeredrelation. Thus, a series of relatively narrow transversely extending andlongitudinally spaced bars I6 is formed, said bars being successivelyconnected at alternate 45 ends with each other. In other words, thepattern embodies an elongated relatively narrow strip of material whichis wound back and forth upon itself through a substantially circuitousor serpentine path.

At one end of the formed strip (in this instance the left-hand end asshown in Fig. 14) an end portion Il is defined by a pair of short earsor ngers I8 produced by making small transverse cuts in the blank strip.At the opposite or right hand end the connection part I3 is fashioned bycutting away opposite longitudinal sidesl of theV blank strip Vto form arelatively narrow extension I9.

5 The properly fashioned blank strip is bent upon itself into the formof a loop which is usually circular. The end portion I1 and extension I9are bent to extend outwardly and generally radially Vof the loop so thatthese parts may be l brought into abutment as the loop is` formed, afterwhich the ears I8 may be crimped or bent about the opposite sides of theextension I9 to` secure these parts together and thereby produce apermanently closed loop.

V15 The resulting structure is one vwhich'may be readily slipped-over acap to establish an :electrical connection. Preferably, the materialabout each open face of the loop flares slightlyout- Y' Y wardly'asindicated at 20 (Figs. 2 and 3) to facili- Y 20 tate assembly of thedevice on the cap; If the suitable manner to providerfor the connectionofV the lead I4 therewith.V In the present instance, an aperture 2l isarranged'to receive the end of 35 the lead I4 which may then be solderedin place.

"- In addition, projections 22 are formed Von an end portion 2,3 whichis substantially a continuation of" the extension, and this endportionis usually channel-shaped as shown in Fig.,2 to receive the 40end of the insulation 24 enclosing the lead I4 and to Yfacilitatebending of the material about the insulation. Y Itrwill, be evident fromthe foregoingthat a novel connecter has been provided'which may be 45economically manufactured and which will embraceand rmly engage apartwith which it is assembled. The connecter may-be easily slipped on orremoved from a terminal, yet will'not become accidentally disengagedtherefrom under o'operatingconditions.V Y

K While'the invention'i'sksusceptible of' various modications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing andhaverdescribed in detail the preferred embodiment, but it isk to 55beunderstood that I do not thereby intend to 1 limit the invention tothe specific form disclosed,

but intend to Vcoverall modifications and alternative constructionsfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A connecter comprising an elongated resilient strip of currentconducting material having transverse recesses extending inwardly fromopposite side edges in alternate and staggered relationship, said striphavingatoneend trans- `Versely extending iingersand near the other end aportion of reduced width about which saidV lingers may be bent toformthe strip'intoV a closed loop. A

2. A connecter fashioned as a loop comprising an elongated strip ofresilient current conducting materlalformed to turn back and forth anumy ber of times in a-cicuitous path, and means lncluding an integralbendable finger near one end of the strip bent over into engagement withthe strip for lsecuring said'one end shortv of the other end to form aclosed loop and provide a free endk for connection with a conductor.

3. A connecter comprising an elongated resil-V ient strip of currentconducting material partial` ly severed from opposite sides to renderthe strip longitudinally extensible and bent to form a,v closed loop,the ends ofY said strip being bent,

laterally'and lying in face to face abutment, one of said ends beinglonger than the other to provide means for connection of a conductor,and

means integral with Vthe other end connectedr with said one end tosecuresaid ends permanently together in said face-to-face abutment.

4. A connecter of `the character described, comprising a loop `formedfrom an elongated strip of resilient current conducting material havingtransversely, extending recesses `therein extending from opposite sidesof the stripin staggered.y

relation and rendering'said strip longitudinally extensible, one end ofsaid strip providing a connection to a conductor, the other end of thestrip being disposed imposition adjacent said one end, and Vmean's'forsecuring said ends in permanent relationship to forma closedloop.

. 5. Means adapted to form a connecter of they character described,ycomprising an elongated resilient strip of current conducting sheetmaterial having transversely extending spaced apertures to render thesame longitudinally extensible and arranged to be fashioned as a loop totover an electric terminal, a bendable vmember near one end of saidstrip adapted to be bont over against an adjoining` part for connectingthe strip into a closed loop, and means neary the opposite end of thestrip for engagement by said member after vthe same has been bent over.

JACOB BERTSCHI.

